Kristine Lee (Oechler) Huffman, 77, was born into eternal life on June 22, 2026. She passed from this life surrounded by her loving family, peacefully and with assurance of eternal life with Jesus Christ, at her home in Louisville, Kentucky.
Kristine ‘Kris’ Lee Oechler was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on November 18th, 1948, to the late Gilbert Oechler and Edna Laura (Rosentreter) Oechler.
Kris considered herself a lifelong member of Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church (Friedens) of Kenosha, and she served her Savior and congregation in many capacities when living in Kenosha. She was adopted into the family of God in the waters of Christian baptism in 1948, and in May of 1962, Kris publicly confessed her faith in Christ in the rite of Christian Confirmation at Friedens. She attended grade school at Bethany Lutheran School and graduated from the ninth grade at Friedens Elementary School. Kris was a 1966 graduate of Tremper High School. On July 20, 1970, Kris was joined in Christian marriage to Staff Sergeant Bobby (Bob) Glen Huffman at Friedens. Bob preceded her in death on February 11, 2024.
After High School, Kris was employed as a civilian at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, where she met her husband, and later at Great Lakes Naval Base. Bob was a career U.S. Army Military service member and a Vietnam veteran, serving two tours. While moving around the world with Bob to various bases, including Frankfurt, Germany, Fort Davis in the Panama Canel Zone, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Knox, Kentucky (twice), Kris was mostly a homemaker who took on various volunteer and direct sales opportunities. Kris and Bob settled in Louisville, KY, upon retiring from the Army. There, Kris worked retail at Bacons Department Store in Shively, Kentucky, as well as assisting with the family’s paper route for the Louisville Courier-Journal. She was active for years in the Butler High School PTA, holding various leadership positions. For many years, Kris was the loving, long-term caretaker for her parents in Kenosha when their health required 24-hour assistance. While back in Kenosha, Kris again volunteered at Friedens for various activities and especially liked helping with the grade school reading program.
Kris had many outside interests, including bowling and bunko, in her early adult years. She was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan and enjoyed watching the Milwaukee Brewers and NASCAR. Kris was quite a crafty person and shared many of her needlepoint pieces with family and friends. She enjoyed traveling annually with her parents to the Sand Pebble Resort in Treasure Island, Florida, making lifelong friends with many of the ‘week 46’ resort owners.
Kris is survived by her son, Bobby Glen Huffman Jr. of Louisville, Kentucky; three grandchildren, Lindsey, Bobby Glen the third (III), and Brett Gilbert Huffman; her sister, Jan E. Oechler-Kirschbaum (Donald C. Kirschbaum); and two nieces, Dana Catelyn and Jordyn Elizabeth Kirschbaum.
In addition to her husband and parents, Kris was preceded in death by her mother and father-in-law, Texie and Bob Curtis.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate if memorials were directed to the family through her sister, Jan Oechler-Kirschbaum.
Funeral Services will be held on July 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park Chapel, 4300 Green Bay Rd, Kenosha, Wisconsin, bringing her full circle to her beginning roots. There will be a visitation starting at 9:00 a.m. until the service in the Chapel. Kris will be laid to rest in private following the service.
The family would like to thank Hosparus Health for their care of Kris over the last months.
